Storm panel apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a storm panel apparatus for double-hung style windows and a method for installing the same. In particular, the invention is a reusable, unbreakable, temporary replacement window panel apparatus that installs into the existing window frame from the inside of the dwelling. The present invention is resistant to shock and wind load, such as during hurricanes and tropical storms. Furthermore, the invention provides an economical replacement panel that completely removes the hazards of broken glass and provides superior protection from windborne debris and unauthorized entry from outside the window.

CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No.60/556,547 filed Mar. 26, 2004, which is hereby incorporated entirelyherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storm panel apparatus for double-hungstyle windows and a method for installing the same. In particular, theinvention is a reusable, unbreakable, temporary replacement window panelapparatus that installs into the existing window frame from the insideof the dwelling.

BACKGROUND

Violent storms cause significant personal injury and property damageeach year. One of the main hazards during such storms is the dangerpresented by broken glass. High winds can propel glass shards throughthe air and cause serious personal injury.

Furthermore, riots may also present the risk of personal injury andproperty damage. A broken window will allow intrusion of the elements orthieves.

Many approaches to prevent these hazards have been attempted. Plywood orother building material nailed over the windows offers limitedprotection. This method suffers, however, from several disadvantages.First, tools are necessary to cut the material and nail it to theoutside of the structure. Such materials are often in short supplybefore a storm. Second, nailing the material over the outside of awindow located high above the ground the ground presents a personalsafety risk, especially if the threatening event is already in progress.Third, the large, flat, sheets of plywood have the potential to becomelife-threatening windborne projectiles in hurricane force winds.

More sophisticated efforts have been devised to provide removable orretractable protection for windows. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,605to Pena describes a foldable device and method for protectingdouble-hung windows. The Pena '605 patent utilizes protective panelsthat fit in the outer grooves of the window frame. The panels are heldin place using opposing straps that run above and below the primarywindow pane and fasten inside the window. One drawback to the Pena '605patent, however, is that it requires the primary window to function. Inthe event of a violent impact on the Pena device, there is a chance thatthe primary window will be broken, necessitating window replacement.

Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,681 to Trundle for an aluminumand plastic combination accordion storm shutter. This device, however,requires tools to install and is a permanent fixture outside of theprimary window. Furthermore, the Trundle '681 patent requires anoperator outside the structure on which it is installed to open andclose the shutter.

Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,660 to Watson for a stormwindow panel. The Watson '660 patent utilizes interlocking tilessupported by a complex plurality of metal mounting bars. The mountingbars require a time consuming assembly of fasteners, including bolts andnuts, on the exterior of the window frame.

Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,579 to Gottschalk for aretractable storm shade system. The Gottschalk '579 patent includes ahousing mounted on the upper external portion of the window frame. Areinforced fabric material is stored on a roller within the housing. Thefabric is pulled from the housing and attached to raised memberspermanently attached to the bottom portion of the window sill. TheGottschalk '579 patent is designed to allow light penetration andventilation, and thus is not likely to withstand the violent forces ofhurricanes, tornadoes, or riots. Furthermore, the Gottschalk '579 patentrequires external mounting hardware and installation.

Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,164 to Ahrens for insideshields for windows. The Ahrens '164 patent discloses a complexinstallation procedure for interior shields that protect windows anddoors. The shields form a watertight seal between the shields and thewindow to prevent the intrusion of water. The Ahrens '164 patent,however, fails to prevent the breakage of the primary window, thusleaving the hazards presented by broken glass intact.

In addition to the shortcomings of these patents, some conventionalstorm window coverings use steel storage enclosures on the outside ofthe structure. These enclosures will rust over time and becomeunsightly, especially if located near a saltwater environment. Thecorrosion of the internal parts of the conventional storm windowcoverings will further render their use difficult, if not impossible.Similarly, enclosures made of plastic will deteriorate under theultraviolet rays of the sun and may break under the stress of high windsor vandalism.

Thus, there is a need for a temporary, break-resistant replacementwindow panel apparatus that is easily installed in the event of a stormor riot. There is a further need for a temporary replacement windowpanel apparatus that installs without tools from inside the building. Inaddition, there is a need for an economical replacement window panelapparatus that completely removes the hazards of broken glass andprovides superior protection from windborne debris and unauthorizedentry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that outperforms glass in impacttests and wind loads.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that is resistant to violent forcesof nature such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and windborne debris associatedwith these and other storms.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that is resistant to forced entry.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that is convenient to install andremove from inside the building, thus avoiding any natural or man-madehazards outside.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that uses the existing windowhardware.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that requires no tools to install orremove and is easily stored when not in use.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that protects the window frame.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus that is unbreakable (i.e.,break-resistant) and energy efficient.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a system foreasily replacing, within the existing window frame, conventional glasspane windows with storm window panels.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a method forquickly interchanging conventional glass pane windows with temporarystorm window panels from within a building structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a modern double-hung window assembly.

FIG. 2 depicts a removable window sash and glass pane of a moderndouble-hung window assembly.

FIG. 3 depicts the installation of a break-resistant window panelapparatus.

FIG. 4 depicts a modern double-hung window assembly with onebreak-resistant window panel apparatus installed.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional diagram of the break-resistant windowpanel apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is a temporary replacement storm panel apparatus thatoutperforms glass in impact and wind load tests. The invention includesa multi-layered, reinforced panel constructed of metal, plastic, andfoam materials that is particularly useful for preventing personalinjury and property damage resulting from storms or riots.

A typical double-hung window assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes awindow frame 11, at least one moveable window sash 12, a sash rail 13,and at least one glass pane 14. Modern double-hung window sashes 12 aredesigned to tilt to the inside of a building or dwelling (arrow, FIG.1). As shown in FIG. 2, the window sash 12 can be removed (arrow) alonga sash guide 15 and safely stored.

In one aspect, the invention is a temporary replacement window panelapparatus for double-hung windows. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the replacementwindow panel apparatus 16 of the present invention. In a typicalembodiment, the replacement window panel apparatus 16 is installed usingthe sash guide 15. The sash guide 15 further fits within or along a sashrail 13. The sash 12 surrounding the replacement window panel apparatus16 includes the same hardware typically found in a primary window sash12, such as a handle 17, a lock 18, and a mechanism for engaging thesash guide 15. The engagement mechanism may be a pin 19 for engaging thesash guide 15 and maintaining sash 12 alignment within the sash rail 13.The engagement mechanism may also be a tab or flange, or any suitableprojection installed by a window manufacturer to engage the sash guide15. Alternatively, the engagement mechanism may be a channel-shaped sashguide to accommodate the window sash.

It will be understood that the term “replacement window panel apparatus”as used herein refers to a replacement window pane and its correspondingsash surrounding the pane. The term “window panel” as used herein doesnot include the outer window frame, unless specifically statedotherwise.

In a related aspect, the invention is a replacement double-hung windowsystem having glass pane windows 14 and temporary replacement windowpanels 16 described herein. In this regard, the glass pane windows 14and temporary replacement window panels 16 are fully interchangeable andtypically include the same mechanisms for locking into the window frame11. The replacement double-hung window system may be manufactured andsold as a complete unit. Alternatively, the replacement window panels 16may be manufactured and marketed as a retrofit kit. Specifically, theglass pane windows 14 and the temporary replacement window panels 16 areinterchangeable within a window frame 11 as circumstances require (e.g.,hurricanes and tropical storms).

The replacement window panel apparatus 16 is further illustrated in FIG.5. The replacement window panel apparatus 16 includes a metal orbreak-resistant plastic surface (i.e., skin) 20. The skin 20 surroundsan inner core 21 filled with foam insulation, such as spray foam, foamrubber, or foam board insulation, or other suitable insulation materialknown to those of ordinary skill in the art. The inner core 21 functionsto absorb energy from impacts and thereby protect the window frame 11from damage.

In this manner, the replacement window panel apparatus 16 is ofmulti-layer construction of break-resistant materials andshock-absorbing materials. The break-resistant material may be metalskin and the shock-absorbing material may be foam material. In a typicalembodiment, the break-resistant metal skin surrounds the shock-absorbingfoam material. In another typical embodiment, the shock-absorbingmaterial is an inner layer positioned between two break-resistant outerlayers.

Alternatively, an additional layer 22 of metal or plastic may beincluded between the skin 20 and the inner core 21. This additionallayer 22 may be positioned at adjacent to the skin 20 (i.e., eithernearer the outside or nearer the inside) or positioned within the innercore 21 (i.e., surrounded by foam material). This additional layer 22not only increases security, but also increases energy efficiency andimpact resistance of the replacement window panel apparatus 16.

Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the windowpanel may also be formed from a solid rubber or vinyl material. Rubbercompounds possessing sufficient integrity to withstand standard impactand wind load tests are well known in the art. These compounds include,but are not limited to, silicone rubber and urethane rubber. Customrubber compounds incorporating polyester fibers or other reinforcementfibers are also well known in the art.

Metal materials include, for example, aluminum or steel. The metal mayfurther be plated, painted, or otherwise coated to provide resistance tocorrosion, resistance to fading as a result of exposure to ultravioletrays, and resistance to blunt force impact from storm debris or violentacts.

Plastic materials include, but are not limited to, fiberglass,fiberglass-reinforced nylon, glass-filled nylon, glass-filledpolypropylene, polyester, and vinyl.

In addition, the surface of the replacement window panel apparatus 16 orwindow sash 12 facing outward may include brackets or channels formounting a shock and wind resistant panel to cover the replacementwindow pane and the window frame.

The replacement window panel apparatus 16 may further include a viewerfor a person inside the structure to observe outside the structure. Theviewer may include, for example, a wide angle peephole viewer.

The temporary replacement storm panel apparatus of the present inventionis designed to pass the typical windborne debris impact test. The firstcomponent of this test is the “Missile Impact Test,” which includeseither large or small projectile impacts. The Large Missile Impact Testincludes two impacts by a two-inch by four-inch timber weighing ninepounds and traveling at 50 feet per second. One impact point is in thecenter of the specimen (i.e., window) and the other is within six inchesof a specimen corner. The Small Missile Impact Test includes thirtyimpacts by a steel ball or roofing gravel weighing two grams andtraveling at 80 feet per second. Ten impacts are in the center of thespecimen, ten impacts are on a long edge of the specimen, and tenimpacts are near a specimen corner.

The second component of the windborne debris impact test is the cyclicpressure test, which includes thousands of inward and outward cycles ofwind pressure. The specific wind pressure applied depends upon thebuilding code in which the specimen will be installed. Three separatespecimens (e.g., three identical windows from a given manufacturer) mustpass the test by demonstrating no tear or crack longer than five inchesor no opening larger than three inches in diameter.

Another structural performance measurement of a window is the DesignPressure Test. The Design Pressure Test assigns performance classnumbers (one positive number and one negative number) based on thepounds of force per square foot used to determine the structural (i.e.,wind) test pressure. The positive “DP” number is the standard for windblowing at the structure. The negative “DP” number is the standard forthe vacuum pressure on the opposite side of the structure. The temporaryreplacement storm panel apparatus of the present invention is designedto possess “DP” numbers of at least +50/−50, preferably at least +75/−75(i.e., +100/−100).

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiments, it will be understood that various modifications thereofwill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading thespecifications. Therefore, it will be understood that the inventiondisclosed herein covers such modifications as fall within the scope ofthe appended claims. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout thedrawings and specification.

In another aspect, the invention is a method for providing a temporaryreplacement window panel apparatus in a structure. Modern double-hungwindow assemblies are designed such that the window sashes andcorresponding glass panes tilt inward relative to the structure in whichthey are installed (FIG. 1). Modern double-hung window assemblies arefurther designed such that the primary window sash and glass pane areremoved easily by sliding them from the sash guide (FIG. 2).

The method of the invention includes installing a break-resistanttemporary window panel apparatus in place of the primary window sash andglass pane from the inside of the structure. FIGS. 3 and 4 depict theinstallation of the unbreakable temporary window panel apparatus usingthe same sash guide used by the primary window sash and glass pane. Themethod of the present invention further provides that no additionalparts or special tools are needed.

In the specification and drawings, typical embodiments of the inventionhave been disclosed. Specific terms have been used only in a generic anddescriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation. Furthermore, suchterms as “upward,” “downward,” “front,” “back,” “forward,” “rearward,”“top,” “bottom,” “outward,” “inward,” and the like are used forconvenience and are not to be construed as limiting. The scope of theinvention is set forth in the following claims.

1. A double-hung window replacement, comprising: substantially parallelhorizontal sash members and substantially parallel vertical sash membersthat define a substantially rectangular window sash having an interior,said vertical sash members comprising sash guide engagement means; and awindow panel positioned within the interior of and bordered by saidwindow sash, said window panel comprising a multi-layer construction ofbreak-resistant materials and shock-absorbing materials.
 2. Adouble-hung window replacement according to claim 1, wherein saidhorizontal and vertical sash members are constructed of metal.
 3. Adouble-hung window replacement according to claim 1, further comprisinga lock on at least one said horizontal sash member.
 4. A double-hungwindow replacement according to claim 1, further comprising at least onebracket attached to at least one said vertical window sash, said bracketbeing useful for mounting a wind-resistant panel.
 5. A double-hungwindow replacement according to claim 1, wherein said multi-layerconstruction of break-resistant materials and shock-absorbing materialscomprises an inner layer of shock-absorbing material positioned betweentwo break-resistant outer layers.
 6. A double-hung window replacementaccording to claim 5, wherein said multi-layer construction ofbreak-resistant materials and shock-absorbing materials furthercomprises an internal reinforcement layer for increasing energyefficiency and impact resistance, said internal reinforcement layerpositioned within said break-resistant outer layers.
 7. A double-hungwindow replacement according to claim 6, wherein said additional layercomprises metal.
 8. A double-hung window replacement according to claim6, wherein said additional layer comprises plastic.
 9. A double-hungwindow replacement according to claim 1, wherein said multi-layerconstruction of break-resistant materials and shock-absorbing materialscomprises a break-resistant metal skin surrounding shock-absorbing foammaterials.
 10. A double-hung window replacement system, comprising:glass pane windows; and temporary replacement window panels comprising amulti-layer construction of break-resistant materials andshock-absorbing materials; wherein said glass pane windows and saidtemporary replacement window panels are interchangeable within a windowframe.
 11. A double-hung window replacement system according to claim10, wherein said multi-layer construction of break-resistant materialsand shock-absorbing materials comprises break-resistant metal skinsurrounding shock-absorbing foam materials.
 12. A double-hung windowreplacement system according to claim 10, wherein said multi-layerconstruction of break-resistant materials and shock-absorbing materialscomprises a break-resistant plastic skin surrounding shock-absorbingfoam materials.
 13. A method for providing a temporary double-hungwindow replacement within a building structure, comprising the steps of:removing a glass-pane window from a window frame; and installing atemporary replacement window panel apparatus into the window frame bysliding the panel into the frame and tilting the panel upward into theframe; wherein the steps of removing the primary window sash andinstalling the temporary replacement window panel are performed from theinside of the building structure.
 14. A method for providing a temporarydouble-hung window replacement within a building structure according toclaim 13, wherein the step of installing the temporary replacementwindow panel apparatus into the window frame comprises locking thetemporary replacement window panel apparatus to the frame.